Advances in neuroimaging and neuroscience hold significant promise for improving the understanding of disorders of consciousness arising from severe brain injuries. This meeting will focus on bringing together basic neuroscientists and investigators focusing on neuroimaging studies of patients with disorders of consciousness in different clinical settings. The goal of this meeting is to advance knowledge of diagnostic methods and experimental therapeutic strategies as well as identify challenges for professionals engaged in the study of these patient populations. The program will begin with an update and discussion of the neuronal mechanisms underlying the awake conscious state. Recent neuroimaging findings from patients in the vegetative state (VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS), and related conditions such as generalized epilepsies and anesthesia will then be discussed. Presentations will canvass several techniques including positron emission tomography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, quantitative electroencephalography and magnetoencephalography, and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging studies. The relatively long time courses of recovery following severe brain injury emphasize the need to develop markers for identifying patients who may harbor further potential for meaningful recovery. Introduction of neuroimaging into the clinical evaluation process, however, will require a close collaboration among investigators and clinicians to organize the emerging knowledge so that scientific advances may help shape the care of patients. To this end clinicians engaged in each stage of evaluation of patients with disorders of consciousness will address the goals of neuroimaging in their clinical context. Finally, the broad and critical ethical dimensions of this evolving research will be discussed. The goal of this meeting will be to provide a state of the art view of advances in knowledge of diagnostic methods and experimental therapeutic strategies as well as identify challenges for professionals engaged in the study of these patient populations. Attendees will gain an understanding of the importance of studies of consciousness arising from severe brain injuries that are emerging as relevant for clinical research and treatment. Through publication of the proceedings information critical to future research and clinical care to a wider audience will be provided. ? ? ?
